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Harris Campaign Caught Pushing Literal Fake News Headlines In Americans’ Google Searches
Harris' campaign has been caught editing various outlets' headlines to appear in Americans' Google searches as sponsored ads, according to an Axios report.
dailycaller.com
Harris Campaign Caught Pushing Literal Fake News Headlines In Americans’ Google Searches
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign has been caught editing various outlets’ headlines to appear in Americans’ Google searches as sponsored ads, according to an Axios report.
Over the last ten days, the Harris campaign has edited the headlines and descriptions of almost a dozen outlets’ articles found through Google search advertisements to appear as search ads from the Harris campaign, according to Axios Several of those outlets, including CNN, USA Today and NPR, told the outlet they were not aware that their articles were being manipulated for Harris campaign ads.
“While we understand why an organization might wish to align itself with the Guardian’s trusted brand, we need to ensure it is being used appropriately and with our permission. We’ll be reaching out to Google for more information about this practice,” a Guardian spokesperson told the outlet.
Other outlets used in the ads include The Independent UK, AP, PBS, CBS News, Time and WDAY Radio, a local North Dakota radio station, Axios reported.
One example of the Harris’ ads links to an NPR article, edited to have the headline read “Harris Will Lower Health Costs,” Axios reported. The ad then has the description, “Kamala Harris will lower the cost of high-quality affordable health care,” the outlet found.
Though the ads are sponsored by the campaign and indicate such, Axios noted that it is not at first clear that the text promoting the article is written by Harris’ team. The Harris campaign’s latest gimmick does not violate Google’s policies, according to Axios, and the search engine believes its “sponsored” tag provides enough context for a viewer.
The campaign is trying to use the ads attached to various news stories as a way to give voters “more context,” a source familiar with Harris campaign’s ads team told the outlet.
Kamala Harris's campaign uses edited headlines of stories in reputed media houses without their knowledge: Reports
Ironically, Kamala Harris is trying to use those media houses, to whom she has refused to talk or give an interview. Her campaign team altered the headlines of some stories in the Guardian, Reuters, CBS News, the Associated Press, and PBS, for advertisement.
Senior editors and other people managing reputed media houses like the Guardian, Reuters, CBS News, the Associated Press, PBS, and others were shocked to find that the headlines of some of their stories differed when they were searched on Google. 'Axios' reported that the altered headlines, paired with a “Paid for by Harris for President” banner, were changed without the news outlets’ knowledge. About a dozen publishers were swept up in the campaign, including major companies. But smaller news outlets like North Dakota’s WDay Radio were also targeted.
Misleading headlines
New York Post has reported that in such a case, one advertisement, running along an article from the Guardian shows a headline that reads “VP Harris Fights Abortion Bans – Harris Defends Repro Freedom”. It shows supporting text below the headline that reads, “VP Harris is a champion for reproductive freedom and will stop Trump’s abortion bans.” Similarly, an NPR story reads, “Harris Will Lower Health Costs,” alongside a supporting text that says, “Kamala Harris will lower the cost of high-quality affordable health care,”
Spokespersons of media houses shocked
Spokespersons from the media houses like CNN, USA Today and NPR said they had no idea the companies were tied up in the campaign. Talking to 'New York Post', a Guardian spokesperson said though he understands why an organization might wish to align itself with the Guardian’s trusted brand, it should have been done appropriately and with prior permission. We’ll be reaching out to Google for more information about this practice.
The Kamala Harris campaign is editing Google headlines to appear more favorable to her and it's not illegal.
It's interesting how easy it is to manipulate Google and what it shows people. I guess it being ruled a monopoly might change things. Creating fake headlines just another new political strategy of Democrats.
